CANYON UNLUCKY WITH BROKEN LEGS.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

Tyler Hawkins, a promising sophomore running back/linebacker for Canyon High's football team, will miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg during a game against Saddleback in Santa Ana on Friday.

Two weeks earlier, teammate Kevin Barto, a defensive lineman/punter, suffered the same injury during an opening scrimmage and was also lost for the season.

``This is the first time in 30 years of coaching I've seen this happen to two kids,'' head coach Harry Welch said. ``They both broke both of the bones in their lower leg. This can't continue to happen where we have to keep looking for new players.''

Barto has kept his spirit intact, as he found a doctor to fit him with a green cast to match the school's colors. Perhaps Hawkins can do the same.

--Ashlee Trebilcock, a junior girls' basketball standout at Hart High who already has committed to UCLA, has a secret to her success: Fellow junior Ryan Wolfe, one of the top players on the boys' team, is among her best friends. They work out together, and Wolfe helps Trebilcock improve her skills - especially before important travel-ball tournaments during the summer, Trebilcock said.

``I don't think Ryan goes quite his hardest against me - he's got some crazy athletic skills,'' Trebilcock said.

Asked whether Trebilcock can hang 1-on-1 against him, Wolfe didn't say a word. He just smiled and shook his head.

--Speaking of Hart girls' basketball, watch out for young Kalana Inemer, a 5-foot-10 freshman who figures to make an impact.

``She's a really good defensive player. She's going to start for us,'' Trebilcock said.

--One of Hart's most loyal football fans is Kyle Hetman, a former offensive lineman for the team who graduated last year. Hetman has been spotted at both of Hart's games this season, plus the opening scrimmage at Moorpark. He even showed up in Long Beach when Hart appeared at the Nike passing tournament at Veterans Stadium this past August.

Meanwhile, Hetman's younger brother, Darin (nicknamed ``Bubba''), has earned a spot as the team's starting linebacker even though he's a 5-10, 170-pound junior, making him one of the Foothill League's smallest starting linebackers.

``It doesn't matter how big he is. Bubba's tough because he's a Hetman,'' his big brother said.

--Scott Dash, a former youth baseball player at William S. Hart who ran track at Hart High before graduating in 1997, has taught baseball to youngsters in the tiny village of Dvorichna in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border.

Dash, who works for the Peace Corps, started a couple of years ago with a a few gloves and one baseball, playing on a makeshift field using broom sticks for bats and plastic bags filled with sand for bases.

Now he gets equipment from Louisville Slugger for the 25 boys and girls playing the game and falling in love with America's pastime.

``These kids knew nothing about the game. They didn't even speak English, but Scott got them hooked,'' said his father, Hal Dash.

Scott Dash returns home in January with plans to begin pursuing a law degree. In the meantime, the kids in Dvorichna have continued playing baseball, carrying on the tradition Dash started.

--Although College of the Canyons' football team defeated Pierce of Woodland Hills 48-24 on Saturday, Canyons coach Chuck Lyon said he wasn't satisfied because there were some ``team goals'' that weren't achieved.

Nevertheless, the evening had to increase team spirit because all 68 players got into the game.

--And finally, I miss barefoot football kickers. They appear to be extinct.